James Harden Agrees to New Deal With Cleveland Cavaliers
Veteran guard James Harden has agreed to a new three-year, $97 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
James Harden has reached an agreement on a new three-year, $97 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania on Thursday. The agreement grants Harden a player option and a trade kicker for future flexibility. In June, Harden opted out of his 2026-27 contract with the Cavaliers, entering free agency.
Despite this, Harden had always planned to return to Cleveland for his 18th professional season. The new contract structure allowed the Cavaliers to acquire Peyton Watson in a sign-and-trade deal on Wednesday. The projected starting lineup for the Cavaliers now includes Harden, Watson, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen.
Harden's arrival in Cleveland came as part of a significant trade before last year's deadline. During the first 26 games of the regular season, Harden averaged 20.5 points, 7.7 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game. His contributions helped the Cavaliers advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they were subsequently swept by the New York Knicks.
The Cavaliers are set to begin their 2026-27 NBA regular-season schedule with a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 22.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
